He Hated it When it Rains
by halcyoneous
Summary: even Armin has his own irrational fears. / first SNK fic. written like five months ago.


Disclaimer: Shingeki no Kyojin (c) Isayama Hajime. This was set in canon verse one year after the 57th Expedition, when they retraced the same way, in case it wasn't clear enough.

* * *

He hated it when it rains. When the acidic drops of water dripped on his frail body, when the temperature around him slowly decreased, when he received the aftermath in form of influenza, and even when he watched clean laundries getting soaked as if they need extra washing.

But what he hated the most was how his mind illogically associated rain with the most traumatic day in his life.

Around six years ago, he saw a downpour of human blood coming out of the Titans' mouths. He was at the alley near his house, thus, he recognized most people of the area.

The fact that those bloods could have been flowing out from people like the child that had just taunted him the last hour to the storekeeper that sold grandfather's favorite tea leaves frightened him.

The similar bloodbath happened again last year in Trost, his current domicile. Only, he was in a different position. The mere kid that was scrambling to search for his grandfather and friends had developed into a freshly graduated military cadet who was able to help his comrades.

Unfortunately, he still bore witness to a lot of people dying. And he was still panicking, mostly over his best friend's near-death experience.

He knew well how water is colorless and less viscous than blood, but the idea of liquid pouring hardly from the sky still somehow scared him until now.

.

Now, as he was with his squad on the seventieth expedition outside the walls, he noticed the blue turning gray and faintly spoke, "They'll come again soon."

"We're in their place, Armin. Of course that would happen," a bitter baritone from his left side responded.

It was Jean. He recognized the voice without having to look, but he still did. The young man was a better view compared to the worrisome overcast weather, anyway.

Armin giggled at his partner's attempt to outwit himself. He knew Jean always wanted to do so, but he need to stop trying so hard because his words sounded silly. And he often didn't grasp the context, just like this one.

After laughing, the blonde remarked. "I didn't mean the Titans, Jean."

This was basically check mate for the brunet, as he was currently riding his horse in silence, thinking what upcoming thing Armin would found important or disturbing, and failing to come up with a proper answer.

The two remained mostly inarticulate. Their eyes were set on their route, but sometimes they steal glances at each other.

The rest of the squad was also quiet, except for the horses' hooves striking against the ground as they galloped and Connie and Sasha that won't stop shouting bad jokes at each other.

"Alright, it's almost sunset and little kids like you should stay inside, so keep it up and we'll be at the headquarters in no time," Captain Levi commenced to his squad's soldiers. "Oh, and it will be raining soon. Better be quick."

"Yes, Sir!" the rambunctious youths roared as they accelerated the pace.

.

When the Scouting Legion reached their headquarters complex an hour later, the sky's a darker gray with scattered crimson tints.

Twilight had come and the rain followed suit as the first droplets struck them hard. They hadn't took off the hoods of their capes yet, but the liquid still left a cold sensation at the skin—especially at the parts uncovered by clothing.

Terrified, Armin jumped out from the horse he's riding.

In a split second, Jean stumbled and chased the little lad as he shed his green robe and held it above his head. Once they were side-by-side, he stretched the fabric so it would also protect the other from the rainfall.

And the two eloped in the middle of rain, hastened towards the building in front of their eye.

They had created a scene for the rest of the legion, to see and to be laughed at, but they seemingly didn't care.

"Armin, your horse!" Mikasa warned as two stallions dashed past hers.

"The horse is chasing him, Mikasa!" Eren snickered, referring to Jean, only to be replied with his sister's glare.

"Oi, Arlert! Kirschtein!"

Levi exclaimed their names as he had just realized the two people missing from his squad's formation

Sasha shouted louder than the captain, as if wanting to cut his words, "I'm hungry! I'll go to the mess hall! Anyone with me?"

"Me!" Connie joined when he noticed the brown-haired girl fled her steed.

"Braus! Springer! Put your horses back to the stables first, then date all you want like it's the brats' mating season, I don't care," the captain scolded the second couple when they're still visible.

"Brats' mating season? Time to date your brat?" Hanji suggested to Levi.

"Eren? Tch."

.

The pair were standing by the window at the headquarters' front hallway, and they observed everything from there.

Jean laughed at the reactions, at Captain Levi, at Sasha and Connie running away—they had just passed by a moment ago.

And Armin laughed at him, at what he done few minutes ago, at his current state—then shrieked, "You don't have to do _that_, Jean!"

"Why not? I wanted to save you," Jean uttered. "Yes. From the rain. Pathetic, right?"

"Figures that I don't really hate the rain anymore," Armin stated as his azure eyes gazed at the legionnaires heading to the stables and the rain. "No. Not pathetic. Just the usual try-hard, Jean Kirschtein."


End file.
